Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says crisis will remain 'bumpy until Christmas and possibly beyond'

Boris Johnson has warned that the coronavirus crisis will be “bumpy” to Christmas and possibly beyond, but insisted: “This is the only way to do it.”

The prime minister said he recognised public “fatigue” with lockdown restrictions and accepted that people were “furious” over the limits on their social and economic lives.

And he warned: “This could be a very tough winter for all of us, but there is a way through. If we follow this balanced approach, we can do it and do it together.”

Speaking on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, Mr Johnson admitted he was frustrated with shortcomings in the government’s test and trace system.

But he said he was hopeful that the “scientific equation” would shift within the coming weeks and months, with the discovery of viable vaccines and treatments for coronavirus.

Asked if the pandemic could drag on for years to come, he said: “No, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”